Game blog: Spurs 108, Lakers 105 (final)

It was closer than it should have been — much, much closer — but the Spurs escaped a pair of low-percentage 3-pointers on the Lakers’ final possession to doom L.A. to its fifth straight loss.

The Spurs (28-10) had led by 16 early in the fourth quarter after Stephen Jackson’s third 3 of the period. But Jackson’s later meltdown — he drew a pair of technical fouls for complaining about a missed call — helped the Lakers (15-20) rally down the stretch. They got within three on multiple possessions down the stretch, but could not get any closer.

Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 27 points, while Tony Parker paced the Spurs with 24.

Third quarter: Spurs 85, Lakers 75 (3Q)

Kobe Bryant scored 14 in the quarter, including a 30-foot 3-pointer from the “S” in the Spurs logo at halfcourt, but it is not enough to prevent the Spurs from extending their lead by a point. Tony Parker scored 10 in the quarter, and Kawhi Leonard added nine as the Spurs continued to thrive despite an off night from Tim Duncan.

Halftime: Spurs 54, Lakers 45

The Lakers improved in the second quarter, and could have pulled within two had Chris Duhon knocked down a wide-open 3-pointer late. He missed, and the Spurs closed with a pair of buckets — including Manu Ginobili’s second dunk of the half — to push ahead by nine.

Those two makes put the Spurs at 51.2 percent for the half, but nine turnovers have marred their effectiveness. The Lakers are staying in striking distance despite shooting 46.3 percent.

Metta World Peace is doing most of the work for L.A., scoring 11 points with five rebounds. Tiago Splitter — declared the definitive starter at power forward before the game by Gregg Popovich — and Ginobili lead the Spurs with 12 points apiece.

First quarter: Spurs 24, Lakers 17

Not the best start by either team, but the Spurs are in solid control against the depleted Lakers. They closed the quarter on a lengthy 12-6 run to lead by seven entering the second. Kobe Bryant has been largely contained by the combination of Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Jackson with four points on 1-for-5 shooting. Tony Parker leads the Spurs with eight.

Pregame: It seems only fitting that the Lakers — down Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, coming off a lopsided defeat at Houston that dropped them four games under .500 — would arrive in San Antonio early this morning in the midst of a downpour.

“The way things are going, I figured a dog would mess on my foot,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “The plane was pretty rough. At least they put my room (at the hotel) on the third floor, so if I did jump I’d just hurt my ankle a little bit.”

They face a Spurs team going in the opposite direction, their sluggish loss at New Orleans on Monday notwithstanding. While Los Angeles (15-19) is closer to the bottom of the Western Conference than the top, the Spurs (27-10) remain within a game of the best record of the NBA even after that toe-stubbing.

Pressed for details by the L.A. press corps on how the Spurs have not only remained relevant but changed playing styles so completely in recent seasons, Gregg Popovich lavished praise on his three cornerstones — Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

“They create an environment that these guys are allowed to flourish, that they make mistakes so that they can flourish,” he said. “I just sit back and watch them. I get all over the new guys and they kind of stroke them. I’m the bad guy, they’re the good guys, and it seems to work.”